Apparatus for scarifying plastic-clay columns



1927. June J. B. NICHOLSON APPARATUS FOR SCARIFYING PLASTIC CLAY COLUMNS I Fil d s- 1 1926 'zs'neezs-shm 1 \NVENTOE QTTOIENEY June 7 J. B. NICHOLSON V APPARATUS FOR SCARIFYING PLASTIC CLAY COLUMNS Filed Aug. 10. 1926 2 1 ,515.9 2

INVENTOR- i Patented June 7, 1927.

1,631,220 PATENT .oFF cE- :fosnrn IB. NICHOLSON, or s'rnunnnvxnnn, 01:10."

. APPARA US non SCARIFYING PLASTIC-CLAY COLUMNS. V

Application'filed August 10, 1926. Serial- No. 128,417.

This invention relatesto apparatus for scarifying the plastic clay columns utilized injmaking brick, and an important object of the invention is the provision of a scarifying device which is automatically adjustable with relation to the work. Another object is to provide 'scarifying apparatus which is adapted to operate in such manner that the edges of the clay column will not thereby be broken. Other features of the invention will be made apparent as the description proceeds.

In general, the apparatus comprises, in association with means for conveying a col.- umn of clay or like material, scarifying devices'mounted on suitablesupports adjacent to the path of travel of the column and adapted to act upon the latter, each scarif'ying device consisting of a rotatable plate in which'are adjustably mounted longitudinally extending scarifying pins.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a scarifying apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 22, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlargedtop plan view of the scarifier plate or disk;

Figure 4i's an enlarged fragmentary section of thc scarifier disk showing a pin mounted therein; I

Figure 5 is a vertical'sectional view, of the automatically adjustable scarifier and its carriage; 7

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view 011 line 66, Fig. 1; and V Figure 7 is a perspective View of a brick of the character produced through the use of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates an expressing die through which the clay, in a plastic condition, is advanced in the form of a rectangular column 16. Said column is advanced horizontally and is delivered to an endless traveling conveyor which comprises rollers and 21 journaled on suitable supports 18 and about which passes a belt 22 adapted for receiving thereon the clay column 16 and by which said column is advanced.

As the clay column is thus advanced, it is scarified, preferably on three sides thereof, by the devices which will be presently described. Standards 15 located at opposite sides of the path of travel of the column 16 and adjacent to the die lO-carry bearings 24 on their upper ends, and rotatably .mounted in each of these bearings is a shaft 25 which carries on its inner end a scarifying plate or disk 26 adapted to act upon the adjacent lateral face of the column. Scarifying pins 27v are mounted on said disk in a circularly arranged row of threaded openings. Each of said pins comprises a threaded bolt or screw having in the lower end thereof a socket in which is rigidly mounted the end of a slender scoring pin. Fixed on the outer ends of said shaft 25 are sprocket wheels 33 connected by sprocket chains 34 to sprocket wheels 35 carried by a shaft 36 which is jour naled for rotation on the upper ends ofstandards 37 and which carries-a pulleyor belt wheel 38 adapted tobe'driven by a belt 39 from any suitable source of motive power.

Another rotary scarifying' device is mounted in position to scarify the upper surface ofthe clay column 16 as the latter is advancedon the conveyor belt 22. This scarifying device comprises a circular plate or disk 40 carrying adjustable pins 41, said disk andsaid pins being similar in form and arrangement to the disk 26 and thepins 27 shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Said disk 40, which is, however, provided with a central sleeve-like extension 42 ,liaving interiorly thereof a longitudinal keyway 43,

.is carried by a vertical shaft 44, and a splining pin or. key 45 recessed in said-shaft is movablyyreceived in said keyway. Said shaft 44 has a bearing in and 1s supported by a vertical sleeve 46 which is supported by a cross piece 47 which has its ends mounted upon the standards 37.- The upper projecting end of the shaft 44 carries a bevel gear 49 which is operatively associated with a bevel gear 50 secured to the shaft 36. An important feature of the invention is the arrangement of a scarifying device whereby the latter may automatically adjust itself tothe surface of the clay column as the latter is conveyed forward, so that the scorings in said surface will at all times be of substantially uniform depth. It frequently happens that the clay column will swell somewhat in parts of its length. To the end that the scorings produced by the sacrifying pins 41 shall be of substantially uniform depth, the scarifier disk 40 is arranged to be supported on the shaft 4A by a carriage which comprisesa cross head 52 fixed on the sleeve 42, and horizontal longitudinally extending bars 51 mounted on said crosshead. The oppositely extending members of said barshave ournaled in their ends rollers 57 which travel upon the upper surface of the clay column for supporting the scarifier disk 40 at a substantially fixed elevation with respect to said surface. Thus, when a thicker portion of the clay column 16 passes beneath the scarifying disk 40, the latter will be elevated through the mechanism justdescribed so that the surface of the column will be scarified to a subsantial'ly uniform depth.

As the clay column 16 advances from beneath the sc-arifying disk 40, some of the material removed therefrom by the scarifying pins drops to the floor while some thereof remains in more or less loosely adherent relation to the surface of the column. It is desirable to press such loose particles against the surface of the column so as to more firmly unite them with the latter. For this purpose there are provided side rollers 58 and a top roller 59, the same being rotatably mounted in portions of a suitable supporting frame structure 60.

As hereinafter referred to, a feature of the invention is the arrangement of the scarifying devices so that the action thereof will not unduly break up the edge portions of the clay column as the latter is being treated. To this end the pins 27 and 41 are mounted in the plates 26 and 40, re spectively, so that their action does not extend to the outer edges of the clay column. As shown most clearly in Fig. 7, which il lustrates a brick 16 cut from the clay column, the scoring produced by the scarifying pins does not extend-to the edges of the column, there being left narrow unscarified margins or border portions 16 it being understood that the surface 16 is part of the upper surface of the column 16 as the latter is conveyed on the belt 22, and that the surface 16 is a part of one of the sides of said column 16.

While I have Shown. the preferred construction, it will be understood that certain changes may be made in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the present invention defined by the appended claims.

'lVhat is claimed is 1. In a scarifying apparatus, a scarifying device, a shaft for rotating said scarifying device, means for securing said scarifying device to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means permitting longitudinal movement of said scarifying device on said shaft, and means whereby said scarifying device is maintained at a fixed distance from the adjacent surface of a traveling clay column upon which it acts.

2. In a scarifying apparatus, a rotatable shaft, a disk fixed for rotation with and freely movable longitudinally on saidshaft, a carriage in supporting relation to said disk, and scarfying pins carried by said disk.

3". In a scarifying apparatus, a rotatable shaft,'a disk movable longitudinally of said shaft and rotatable therewith, pins mounted in said disk, a carriage supporting said disk and embodying rollers for riding. upon a moving clay column upon which said pins act, and means for rotating said shaft.

4. In a: scarifying apparatus, a rotary member, scoring pins carriedby said member, means for conveying parallel to the plane of said member material to be acted upon by said pins, said pins being so arranged that the action thereof in rotation of said member is confined" Within an area so spaced-from the edges of the surface of the material that an unscarified portion of said surface remains, and means for rotating said member.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

JOSEPH B; NICHOLSON. 

